During November we had the chance to check out the new Correct Craft Nautique 200 on the pristine waters of Lough Earn in Woodford, Queensland. For many hardcore skiers, Natiques are high on the wish list. After spending an afternoon checking out this awesome boat, it’s easy to see why. Along for the day was Johnny Schottelius, Lough Earn Coach and Prowake Team skier, who gave us his impressions of the boat.
Open Bow Ski Nautique 200 adds an impressive string to the Correct Craft bow in Australia. With its stylish open bow, great driver ergonomics and wider beam, the Nautique 200 is business class, that’s for sure, and adds versatility to a brilliant ski boat.
The extra space means this boat now has wider appeal, but it has lost none of its attraction to the serious skiers out there.
The Wake
When assessing this boat, it’s worth starting at the business end – with the wakes – which are nice and flat and accommodating to the serious skier. It seems the wider beam has helped make the wakes softer, and when you shorten the rope the story gets even better. The 200 seems to keep a really a consistent wake and not have an abrupt hole or hard prop wash. The wakes were as equally impressive at the slower speeds as well.
Equal attention has been paid to ensuring the Nautique 200 is the ultimate, dedicated three-event ski boat. The wake is ideal for slalom and jump, with a gradual entry that has little effect on the ski. The exclusive Hydro-Gate softens the peaks of the rooster tail and wakes. And spray is greatly reduced and controlled. Trick skiers will benefit from the clean, smooth table and a defined, single peak wake that lets the skier easily feel the top. There’s even a new trick-friendly pylon for those who use a rope-style release.
Driving
The second thing that came to mind after the wakes was the driver’s seat, because when you’re out on the lake or up the river for the day it does take its toll steering.
A few things that stood out were the positioning of the speed control at your finger tips in front of the throttle, which makes a lot of sense. The LCD display screen works really well, with the gauges and instrumentation all in one easy to find place. While at first it took a little bit to navigate, because there is a lot on offer, once you understood the software there is a lot of great features.
The LCD screen helps to free up the dash and allow better vision as well towards the front of the boat. You also have the option of going with the standard gauges if you prefer the more traditional look.
The performance and handling are, as expected, excellent. The boat feels extremely solid and safe at all times. It held well to the water and tracked brilliantly through the slalom course, responding quickly to every correction made while blazing down the course.
Interior
After spending a day with the 200, the benefits of the open bow design are obvious. The main cabin is already very spacious, and you can have extra passengers comfortably in the boat enjoying the fun while the skier blasts it up off the center pole. For the record, a closed bow version is still available, priced around $7000 cheaper.
The fit out of the boat and use of space is clever. The lockers along the side of the boat work a treat, and mean you haven’t lost all that storage you had under the bow.
It’s spacious, comfortable and very plush. All in all, a great place to spend a sunny afternoon on the water.
Summing Up
Overall the 200 is a well thought out and a well finished product that oozes quality. Hardcore skiers who crave the legendary Nautique wake – on display at this year’s Moomba Masters and many of the top events world wide – now have some extra space to widen their enjoyment. The boat will also appeal to crews who do a bit of everything and love the form and function of this classy boat.
Specs
Length 6.1m (20ft)
Beam 2.41m
Passengers 10 people
Fuel Cap 109.8 litres
Dry Weight 1270kg
Priced from $85,000
www.nautique.com.au
